Bill O'Reilly

[JoltinJoe]

I won't deny that there is profound wisdom in other philosophy and theologies; however, it is the idea that we are drawn to something, and at least in my mind, the necessary converse that this something must also be drawn to us which, in a nutshell, makes the Incarnation an inevitably, in my mind. Yes, I agree, we are made of it.

I also don't think we're being tricked down here. If there is a personal, loving God, he must be manifesting himself to us in the form of a major world religion.

All major world religions seem like the same thing to me...
In fact: Excluding the minutia and nit-picky divisive crap they all seem like exactly the same thing

Except one claims that God was so drawn to us, so perfectly drawn to us, that he became incarnate ...

Something quite remarkable happened 2,000 years ago. A man who lived 2,000 years ago, in a remote part of the Roman empire, who had but a handful of ardent followers, and who was put to death like a common criminal, has become the most remarkable figure who ever lived. Applying reason, his handful of followers should have just silently disappeared and gone back to their villages after the death of their leader. Instead, they became emboldened, and risked and lost their own lives, traveling the world, to spread a message. And even then they should have failed ...

No religion has ever had such an unlikely success story ...

[kalm]

All major world religions seem like the same thing to me...
In fact: Excluding the minutia and nit-picky divisive crap they all seem like exactly the same thing

Except one claims that God was so drawn to us, so perfectly drawn to us, that he became incarnate ...

Something quite remarkable happened 2,000 years ago. A man who lived 2,000 years ago, in a remote part of the Roman empire, who had but a handful of ardent followers, and who was put to death like a common criminal, has become the most remarkable figure who ever lived. Applying reason, his handful of followers should have just silently disappeared and gone back to their villages after the death of their leader. Instead, they became emboldened, and risked and lost their own lives, traveling the world, to spread a message. And even then they should have failed ...

No religion has ever had such an unlikely success story ...

Well Buddha achieved enlightenment. Coyote created the entire world. Those seem unlikely too.

[JoltinJoe]

Except one claims that God was so drawn to us, so perfectly drawn to us, that he became incarnate ...

Something quite remarkable happened 2,000 years ago. A man who lived 2,000 years ago, in a remote part of the Roman empire, who had but a handful of ardent followers, and who was put to death like a common criminal, has become the most remarkable figure who ever lived. Applying reason, his handful of followers should have just silently disappeared and gone back to their villages after the death of their leader. Instead, they became emboldened, and risked and lost their own lives, traveling the world, to spread a message. And even then they should have failed ...

No religion has ever had such an unlikely success story ...

Well Buddha achieved enlightenment. Coyote created the entire world. Those seem unlikely too.

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

[Grizalltheway]

Well Buddha achieved enlightenment. Coyote created the entire world. Those seem unlikely too.

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

Yeah, then they turned the tables and shoved it down indigenous peoples' throats, who were perfectly happy without it. Brainwashed fuck.

[JoltinJoe]

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

Yeah, then they turned the tables and shoved it down indigenous peoples' throats, who were perfectly happy without it. Brainwashed ****.

That's quite a generalization which is based on a lot of historical half-truths and some outright fictions. That's not to say that the leadership has always been great or their actions always honorable or even well-intentioned.

[Grizalltheway]

Yeah, then they turned the tables and shoved it down indigenous peoples' throats, who were perfectly happy without it. Brainwashed ****.

That's quite a generalization which is based on a lot of historical half-truths and some outright fictions. That's not to say that the leadership has always been great or their actions always honorable or even well-intentioned.

I'll take it.

Carry on.

[Chizzang]

Well Buddha achieved enlightenment. Coyote created the entire world. Those seem unlikely too.

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

They're still all the same thing to me... Any faith and man’s religion is no greater or lesser than the other
All religions have an "unlikely story" and "an amazing tale" all are beautiful and all are welcome as far as I'm concerned…

I am not fearful about faith (or science) I like it all
And I’m sure not looking to get saved by somebody else’s story – To each man his own path

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

They're still all the same thing to me... Any faith and man’s religion is no greater or lesser than the other
All religions have an "unlikely story" and "an amazing tale" all are beautiful and all are welcome as far as I'm concerned…

I am not fearful about faith (or science) I like it all
And I’m sure not looking to get saved by somebody else’s story – To each man his own path

I don't understand how people can reconcile what is with their faith but I don't care at all that they have it as long as it helps them to be better and do better things. It just doesn't work out that way sometimes.

BTW, have you gotten my religion written up with some commandments, stories, etc...? I need to start taking some coin off some mufuckers!

[Grizalltheway]

They're still all the same thing to me... Any faith and man’s religion is no greater or lesser than the other
All religions have an "unlikely story" and "an amazing tale" all are beautiful and all are welcome as far as I'm concerned…

I am not fearful about faith (or science) I like it all
And I’m sure not looking to get saved by somebody else’s story – To each man his own path

I don't understand how people can reconcile what is with their faith but I don't care at all that they have it as long as it helps them to be better and do better things. It just doesn't work out that way sometimes.

BTW, have you gotten my religion written up with some commandments, stories, etc...? I need to start taking some coin off some mufuckers!

You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.

[JoltinJoe]

There is some irony in the comments that no man's religion is better than another's and that if you want to make money in America today, start a religion.

The prevalence of belief today in the first statement is a reason why the second statement is true.

[kalm]

There is some irony in the comments that no man's religion is better than another's and that if you want to make money in America today, start a religion.

The prevalence of belief today in the first statement is a reason why the second statement is true.

Threaten their tax exemption and you'd see less of the 2nd.

[Chizzang]

[

BTW, have you gotten my religion written up with some commandments, stories, etc...? I need to start taking some coin off some mufuckers!

Ursus,
Yours (by far) is the coolest religion I've encountered, not to mention brilliant in its simplicity and believability...
I've gone as far as writing down your primary tenant but have not plowed the fertile fields of your basic commandments however I've got a good feeling about them already

That was en epic discovery... I appreciate you sharing that over a slice of pizza

[Chizzang]

There is some irony in the comments that no man's religion is better than another's and that if you want to make money in America today, start a religion.

The prevalence of belief today in the first statement is a reason why the second statement is true.

Joe,
I'm not in the business of judging other mens religions - you are...
So I'm perfectly fine with the world exactly how it is

[D1B]

Well Buddha achieved enlightenment. Coyote created the entire world. Those seem unlikely too.

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

Nice cherry-picking Joe. Christianity is a well crafted ruse concocted by thousands of authors, scoundrels, shithead popes and politicians over the last 2000 years.

Promising salvation and everlasting life in return for good behavior was (and still is) the perfect weapon autocrats, dictators, tyrants, kings, popes, thieves and modern day profiteers use(d) successfully for 1900 years to control and fleece the masses. Your persecution sob story is maybe valid at the very beginnning, but as soon as Constantine converted, for almost 1500 years - you were either a christian or you were tortured or put to death.

Theocracy is and was the primary mover of christianity. It's only seriously been challenged recently.

You spin a nice story Joe, and I'm sure your poor and brainwashed children enjoy listening to it, but any objective observer of history knows the truth.

[Vidav]

[

BTW, have you gotten my religion written up with some commandments, stories, etc...? I need to start taking some coin off some mufuckers!

Ursus,
Yours (by far) is the coolest religion I've encountered, not to mention brilliant in its simplicity and believability...
I've gone as far as writing down your primary tenant but have not plowed the fertile fields of your basic commandments however I've got a good feeling about them already

That was en epic discovery... I appreciate you sharing that over a slice of pizza

First commandment:

Thou shalt not put beans in thine chili.

[89Hen]

Promising salvation and everlasting life in return for good behavior was (and still is) the perfect weapon autocrats, dictators, tyrants, kings, popes, thieves and modern day profiteers use(d) successfully for 1900 years to control and fleece the masses.

Almost as good as just killing people.

[Vidav]

But if you just kill everyone you don't have anyone left to worship you.

[D1B]

Promising salvation and everlasting life in return for good behavior was (and still is) the perfect weapon autocrats, dictators, tyrants, kings, popes, thieves and modern day profiteers use(d) successfully for 1900 years to control and fleece the masses.

Almost as good as just killing people.

Not really. You can't continue to fleece em, you can't make them kill for you, you can't make them slaves or work them to death, they can't force them to vote for you.....when they're dead.

[Chizzang]

Ursus,
Yours (by far) is the coolest religion I've encountered, not to mention brilliant in its simplicity and believability...
I've gone as far as writing down your primary tenant but have not plowed the fertile fields of your basic commandments however I've got a good feeling about them already

That was en epic discovery... I appreciate you sharing that over a slice of pizza

First commandment:

Thou shalt not put beans in thine chili.

Hmmm... That's a strong contender

[JoltinJoe]

What other successful world religion ever developed, grew, and thrived in an environment in which becoming an adherent of that faith was punishable by death or torture?

The Roman Empire tried to kill off Catholicism member by member, but by the fourth century, the movement became so prevailing that the weakening empire was forced to accommodate and adopt it.

Nice cherry-picking Joe. Christianity is a well crafted ruse concocted by thousands of authors, scoundrels, shithead popes and politicians over the last 2000 years.

Promising salvation and everlasting life in return for good behavior was (and still is) the perfect weapon autocrats, dictators, tyrants, kings, popes, thieves and modern day profiteers use(d) successfully for 1900 years to control and fleece the masses. Your persecution sob story is maybe valid at the very beginnning, but as soon as Constantine converted, for almost 1500 years - you were either a christian or you were tortured or put to death.

Theocracy is and was the primary mover of christianity. It's only seriously been challenged recently.

You spin a nice story Joe, and I'm sure your poor and brainwashed children enjoy listening to it, but any objective observer of history knows the truth.

Four paragraphs and not a single substantiated fact. But the case against Catholicism is usually built on inferences drawn from distortions. Nothing new here.

[Vidav]

But if you are talking about religion then facts rarely need play a part.

[89Hen]

Not really. You can't continue to fleece em, you can't make them kill for you, you can't make them slaves or work them to death, they can't force them to vote for you.....when they're dead.

Uhhhh, you might want to rethink that one D. He only killed 1-2M of the 8M. The remaining 6-7M did exactly what you said above.

[D1B]

But if you are talking about religion then facts rarely need play a part.

Joe lives in anther world. Like most humans, he had religion shoved down his throat directly by his parents and indirec tly by society. He had no choice and this is primarily how religion has become "successful".

That he posts here that he's a devout christian and his religion is so successful because it's original (it's not) or full of wisdom (nothing original, it's more full of errors, myth and absurdities) is comical and denies the bulk of historical fact.

Joe and his trembling wife are catholic because he was born into a catholic family. Joe's poor brainwashed kids will be catholic because they were born into a catholic family, Joe's father and trembling mother were catholic because they were born into a catholic family...

Dress it up all you want, but religion is an accident of birth. Joe would be muslim right now, defending the Koran with as much blind vigor as he does catholic dogma, if he was born in Iran or indonesia.

[D1B]

Not really. You can't continue to fleece em, you can't make them kill for you, you can't make them slaves or work them to death, they can't force them to vote for you.....when they're dead.

Uhhhh, you might want to rethink that one D. He only killed 1-2M of the 8M. The remaining 6-7M did exactly what you said above.

That's one to 2 million more he could have fleeced. Dumb.

Just keep em in the dark, call them sinners, infect them with guilt and shame - then give them a prescription for salvation that requires the church, like the catholics do and you can control em their whole lives - and make billions upon billions of dollars too.

[89Hen]

Uhhhh, you might want to rethink that one D. He only killed 1-2M of the 8M. The remaining 6-7M did exactly what you said above.

That's one to 2 million more he could have fleeced. Dumb.

Just keep em in the dark, call them sinners, infect them with guilt and shame - then give them a prescription for salvation that requires the church, like the catholics do and you can control em their whole lives - and make billions upon billions of dollars too.

The threat of instant death is far more coercive that life after death.

BTW, weren't you raised Catholic?